


Ryan's Problem

by bobbiejod



Category: The OC
Genre: Family Drama, Gen, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-09
Updated: 2013-11-03
Packaged: 2017-11-24 07:44:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/632072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bobbiejod/pseuds/bobbiejod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the middle of the Oliver situation. Sandy and Kirsten, fed up with Ryan’s actions, decide on a tough love approach. Will he do what they say, or push them away?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Laying Down The Law

**Author's Note:**

> This is another story that I've posted on another site. Wanted to see if I can get more followers with this one as well.

Chapter 1: Laying Down The Law  
“No going out. No cell phone. No video games. No privacy. You join us for all meals. You will be doing chores. You want anything, you go through us…” the words replayed in Ryan’s mind as he lay on the bed in the guest room.  
After the whole parental units’ united front, Ryan was forced to pack up his belongings from the pool house while Sandy watched him the whole time. He was deposited in the guest room near Seth’s bedroom with Sandy telling him to be down for supper in a half hour. As per the no privacy clause, Ryan realized that the door was missing.  
“Ryan, mom’s here with take out.” Seth passed by the guest room.  
He slowly got off the bed and went down to the kitchen. He saw bags of take out containers on the counter as Sandy took some plates out of the cupboard and brought them over. Ryan walked past the counter and slumped into a chair at the table.  
“Ryan, come and get it.” Kirsten called to him.  
“Not hungry.” He grumbled.  
“What was the deal, Ryan?” Sandy demanded.  
“The deal was that I join you for meals. You said nothing about eating with you.”  
“He’s got us there.” Kirsten tried not to smile at Sandy as the three of them joined Ryan at the table.  
“So how was school?” Sandy asked.  
Ryan remained silent as Seth went on and on about the latest Summer/Anna drama. Sandy watched Ryan sit silently throughout the entire meal as he waited for them all to finish so he could start on that night’s dishes. Ryan gathered all the dishes after everyone was done eating and proceeded to wash them in the sink as Sandy brought the rest of the dishes over for him.  
“Ryan,” Sandy started to say as he patted his shoulder, but Ryan shrugged him off roughly. “Hey. There is no need for that.”  
“What’s going on?” Kirsten came in.  
“I’m trying to do the dishes.” Ryan stated. “So stop bugging me so I can get them done and get out of your sight like you want me to.”  
“Ryan, that’s not true.” Sandy started to approach him again.  
“Don’t. Touch. Me.” Ryan said through clenched teeth as he glared at them.  
“Sandy,” Kirsten started as she looked at him as Seth came in and witnessed the whole scene. “Living room. Both of you. Now.”  
Ryan went back to the dishes as the three of them went to the living room and they sat down.  
“We can’t push him right now.” She told them. “He’s still pissed off from this afternoon. He’ll calm down sooner or later.”  
“Are you sure about that?” Sandy looked at her.  
“Not totally.” She sighed as she saw Ryan come out of the kitchen and head for the stairs.  
“Dishes are done. Kitchen is clean.” He told them. “Unless there’s something else, warden.”  
“We need to talk still, Ryan.” Kirsten told him. “Wait for us in the kitchen, please.”  
“Whatever.” He stormed back into the kitchen as Sandy and Kirsten followed him and Seth went upstairs.  
They found Ryan leaning against the counter when they walked back into the kitchen. He had a glare on his face as he spotted them.  
“Ryan, sit down.” Kirsten pointed to one of the chairs at the counter, but Ryan stayed where he was. “Please.”  
He sighed and reluctantly sat down on the stool the farthest away from them. He didn’t look at them; instead he just waited for them to talk.  
“Ryan, we’re worried about you.” Kirsten started.  
“Why?” he mumbled.  
“What?”  
“Why are you worried about me? It’s not like I’m your kid. I’m just the charity case you took in because you felt sorry for me. It’s not like you actually want me here. I can save you all this trouble and just leave now.” Ryan started off the stool towards the stairs.  
“Get back here!” Sandy bellowed. “Sit down!”  
“Why? It’d just be delaying the inevitable.” He glared at them.  
“Ryan, please sit down.” Kirsten said in a softer voice than the one that Sandy had decided to use.  
“Why should I even bother?”  
“We don’t want you to leave.”  
“Why? All I’ve done since I got here was cause you trouble.”  
“That’s not true at all.”  
“Yes, it is. Even when I don’t do anything wrong, you still blame me anyway.”  
“And that’s my fault.” Kirsten told him. “I didn’t give you a chance when you first got here. But we want you here.”  
“It’s not like I’m not used to people judging me before they know me.”  
“Sit down, please.” Ryan eyed Kirsten wearily until he finally sat back down on the stool. “Now as we were saying, we’re really worried about you.”  
“I’m fine. I’m an outcast again. I’m used to it.”  
“You shouldn’t be.”  
“Whatever,” he shrugged.  
“Ryan, we would like you to talk to someone.” Sandy broached the subject cautiously with him.  
“You mean a shrink?” Ryan demanded. “You guys think I’m crazy?”  
“No. We don’t think you’re crazy.” Kirsten assured him. “You’ve gone through so much since you started to live with us. Just give it a chance.”  
“Fine. Are we done?” Ryan started up again.  
“Not yet.” Sandy stopped him. “You are suspended for the week. That doesn’t mean that you’re going to get to sit around the house all week. You will go with one of us to work as long as you’re suspended.”  
“Fine.” He stormed out and up the stairs.  
“Do you think we did the right thing?” Kirsten looked at Sandy.  
“Yes.” He told her firmly. “He has to know that he won’t get away with anything.”  
“I guess.” She sighed as they both heard yelling coming from upstairs. “I wish this night was over already.”  
“Let’s go.” Sandy told her and they made their way upstairs to deal with their teenagers.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Ryan stormed up the stairs and into the guest room where he was doomed to spend his days now. He walked in and grumbled as he saw Seth sitting on the edge of the bed.  
“What are you doing in here?” he demanded.  
“I wanted to talk to you.”  
“We have nothing to say to each other.”  
“I heard what you said downstairs.”  
“I should’ve known that you would eavesdrop.”  
“I want to talk to you.”  
“Do you believe me about Oliver?”  
“Ryan-”  
“Then we have nothing to say to each other.”  
“What’s going on in here?” Sandy and Kirsten appeared.  
“Does no privacy mean that you guys can come in here without permission?”  
“We heard all the yelling and came to check it out.” Kirsten told him.  
“I’m talking about him.” Ryan glared at Seth. “He was in here when I came up. I didn’t give him permission to come in. But then, I guess I don’t have the right to deny anyone access in here.”  
“I just wanted to talk to you.” Seth told him. “We need to settle this.”  
“I have nothing to say to any of you.”  
“You can be angry at us all you want.” Sandy told him. “But I think you should try to talk it out with Seth.”  
“He doesn’t have my back.” Ryan told them. “So I have nothing to say to him. Now I want all of you to leave me alone.”  
“Let’s go.” Kirsten told them and Seth reluctantly followed them out of the room.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Ryan waited until in the middle of the night when he thought all the Cohen’s were fast asleep before he made his way down to the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator and started to make himself a bologna sandwich. He sat at the counter as he ate his sandwich and had a glass of water. He was startled when the light suddenly flashed on and he saw Kirsten standing in the doorway.  
“I thought I heard someone down here.”  
“I didn’t mean to wake you up.”  
“So you were hungry earlier. You just didn’t want to eat with us.”  
“I didn’t want to eat at a table with Seth and Sandy.” He corrected her. “I have no problem with you at this point. Not as much as them anyway.”  
“Why did you get so upset when we were talking with you after supper?”  
“You didn’t even listen. I was trying to tell you something, but you didn’t hear me. I don’t know why I’m that surprised. It’s not like anyone would believe the poor kid from Chino over the privileged kid who lives in a penthouse.”  
“You really believe that?”  
“I’ve tried talking to you guys countless times when Oliver first came. You were both too busy to listen. I tried talking to Seth, but he’s too self-involved with his whole Summer/Anna threesome.”  
“I’m sorry about that.”  
“I’m used to it.” He got up and took his plate and glass to the sink. “No one ever believed me in Chino either. It’s not much different here. Different town, same problems. Although, sometimes things were a lot easier in Chino.”  
“Ryan-”  
“I’m going to bed.” He cut her off and started back upstairs.  
Kirsten stayed in the kitchen a while longer after Ryan went upstairs. She had to remember to tell both Sandy and Seth what he had said to her. She had to make sure that they kept an eye on him because he sounded like a person that was ready to run. She eventually made her way back upstairs and climbed into bed beside Sandy, who reached for her in his sleep. She snuggled closer to him, reminding herself to talk to him in the morning about Ryan.


	2. Drastic Measures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan spends the day with Sandy.

Chapter 2: Drastic Measures  
Ryan was awoken one morning when Sandy shook him roughly. He informed him that he would be going with him that day and that he should get dressed because they would be leaving soon. He grumbled under his breath as he pulled a pair of jeans and a wrinkled shirt out of the pile of clothes that was on the floor and quickly changed into them. He grabbed his school bag and went downstairs. He saw them all in the kitchen gathered around the counter so he just sat on the bottom step of the stairs leading up to the front door as he waited for Sandy to come out.  
“Not hungry again?” Kirsten came out to him wearing a pant suit and carrying some blueprints.  
“I don’t feel like family togetherness.” He mumbled. “Is he coming?”  
“I think he’s waiting for you to go in there.”  
“He’ll be waiting forever then.”  
“I’ll go grab you something to take with you.” She went back into the kitchen and returned with a small bottle of orange juice and a bagel. “Be sure to eat this.”  
“Can’t I just go with you today?”  
“You wouldn’t want to be there today. My father’s going to be in the office all day. Besides, Sandy’s going to the Lighthouse today so you won’t have to sit in his office all day.”  
“Fine.” He sighed as she walked out the door and a few minutes later Sandy and Seth came out of the kitchen to him.  
“Let’s get going.” He told him and Ryan silently walked outside and slid into the backseat of Sandy’s car as Seth climbed into the front.  
They were silent the entire way to drop Seth off at Harbor. Once he got out of the car, Sandy waited for Ryan to move into the front seat but after almost ten minutes he pulled away and drove to the restaurant. When they walked inside, Ryan went to a table that wasn’t covered in plastic and got out his school books as Sandy went to find Jimmy in the back.  
“You brought Ryan with you?” Jimmy saw him in the dining area. “Marissa told me what happened at school. How is he doing?”  
“I don’t know what to do about him.” Sandy sighed. “Last night, he was ready to leave because he thinks he’s our charity case. Kirsten was able to talk him out of it. She’s the only one who he’ll talk to right now. He’s shutting Seth out too.”  
“Would it be all right if I tried? I mean, I haven’t talked to him that much before-”  
“You can try.” Sandy watched him approach the table where Ryan was.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Ryan was reading in his history book about the rise and fall of the Roman Empire when he heard someone come up behind him. He looked up as he saw Jimmy Cooper standing by the table.  
“Hey, Ryan.”  
“Mr. Cooper,” he went back to his history book.  
“Do you mind if I sit here with you?”  
“Whatever.” He mumbled. “It’s your restaurant.”  
“I just want to talk to you.”  
“It’s ok. I understand.”  
“Understand what?”  
“You want me to stay away from Marissa. She doesn’t want me anywhere near her anyway, so you’re just wasting your breath.”  
“Actually I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk.”  
“Nope.” He mumbled. “You can knock off the nice act. It’s not like we ever talked much before. Besides we shouldn’t start bonding now. It’s not like I’ll be here for much longer.”  
“What makes you say that?”  
“Sandy doesn’t want me around anymore. It’s not like I fit in with this snooty stuck up town where everyone thinks that they’re better than everyone else.”  
“You haven’t really given it a chance. Some of the people here are all right.”  
“It doesn’t matter. I’m as good as gone.” He went back to his history book as Jimmy got up and went back to where Sandy was.  
“How’d it go?” Sandy asked him.  
“I’d look into getting him some help as soon as possible. He definitely sounds like he’s going to run.”  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Ryan and Sandy returned to the house a little after lunchtime. Ryan threw his things down by the stairs and went off to start the laundry and do the dishes from that morning.  
“Are you hungry?” Sandy asked him. “I can make us a couple sandwiches.”  
“That depends. Can I eat in the guest room?”  
“Absolutely not.”  
“Then I’m not hungry. I am definitely not staying in a room with you a minute longer than I have to.”  
“Ryan, come on. Talk to me.”  
“Oh. So now you all of a sudden want to talk?” Ryan turned around to face him.  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“I’ve tried coming to you countless times when I started having bad feelings about Oliver. You were too busy with your new job at that fancy law firm to listen.”  
“Well, I’m here now.”  
“Right. You only feel like talking when you have no choice.” Ryan turned back around and finished up the dishes before going up to his room.  
Kirsten arrived home around five with their supper and saw Sandy sitting at the counter as she heard video games coming from the den. Sandy looked up at her as she set all the carry-out bags down and she noticed his defeated look.  
“What’s the matter?” she went to him.  
“Have I really been that busy with my job that I didn’t notice that Ryan needed some much-needed advice?”  
“If you have, then I have too.” She sat down next to him. “I take it that you talked to Ryan.”  
“If you can call it that.” He sighed. “Jimmy tried talking to him at the Lighthouse. He said he sounds like someone who is planning to run.”  
“I think he does, too. I scheduled an appointment for Ryan with a psychiatrist for tonight. I told him that it was an emergency and that we needed to take drastic measures.”  
“So which one of us is taking him?”  
“I was thinking we both should. Seth has plans with Anna.”  
“Ok.” They started to get some plates out as they heard some loud noises upstairs.  
They exchanged glances and started upstairs, where they found Ryan nailing a black sheet in the doorway of the guest room.  
“What do you think you’re doing?” Sandy demanded.  
“Rosa said you guys haven’t used these in a long time.”  
“But what are you doing with it?” Kirsten asked him.  
“You know why I took the door off, Ryan.” Sandy stated firmly.  
“I have no privacy anymore. I get it. You said I can’t have a door. You never said I couldn’t use something else as a door.” Ryan explained to them.  
“Technicality.” Kirsten smiled at Sandy. “He got us again.”  
“I’m not amused.” Sandy looked at her.  
“I am.” She turned back to Ryan. “Come on downstairs and eat, Ryan.”  
“Not hungry.” He mumbled.  
“Did you eat the breakfast I gave you this morning?”  
“Part of it. I kind of lost my appetite after I was forced to be in a car with them.”  
“Sandy told me you didn’t eat any lunch.”  
“Nope.”  
“Come down and eat supper with us.”  
“I don’t want to eat with them.” He glared at Sandy.  
“How about a compromise?” Kirsten ventured.  
“I’m listening.” He eyed her wearily.  
“You can eat at the counter while the rest of us will eat at the table.” She told him. “You eat at least half of what’s put on your plate and we’ll let it go.”  
“I won’t have to contribute to any table conversation?”  
“None.”  
“Ok. Fine. I’m coming.” He put the hammer and nails back where he found them and followed behind Sandy and Kirsten down the stairs.  
Seth and Anna came into the kitchen as everything was set out onto the table. Seth noticed Ryan at the counter with his back facing them as he slowly ate what was in front of him.  
“Why-”  
“Ryan agreed to a compromise.” Sandy told him. “Thanks to your mother.”  
“Hey, Ryan.” Anna smiled at him as she went to get herself something to drink.  
“Anna,” he nodded at her. “How’s it going?”  
“Much better than it is for you, I hear.” She made sure the three Cohen’s weren’t listening to their conversation.  
“I’ve been through worse.” He told her.  
“Ryan, you need to eat.” Kirsten called from the table.  
“Anna was talking to me. It’s not polite to talk with my mouth full of food.”  
“So you’ll talk to Anna, but not me?” Seth turned around.  
“Anna hasn’t pissed me off like you have.” Ryan turned around as well and glared at him.  
“Both of you, knock it off.” Kirsten told them. “Now turn around and eat.”  
“You really like to rile him up, don’t you?” Anna looked at Ryan.  
“Maybe a little.” He smiled at her as she went to join the others at the table.  
After they were all done eating, Sandy and Kirsten cleared off the table as Seth and Anna left. Ryan managed to eat a little more than half of what was on his plate before he gave up and started on the dishes.  
“Ryan, you can wait on doing those.” Kirsten told him. “You actually have an appointment in forty-five minutes.”  
“I do?”  
“I set up a meeting with a therapist for you.”  
“Why?” he demanded.  
“We talked about this last night.” Sandy reminded him.  
“You didn’t give me any kind of warning? You just expect me to go?”  
“You don’t really have any choices right now.”  
“Of course. My free will got taken away as well.”  
Ryan reluctantly went with them out to the car and they went to the therapist’s office. Ryan sat far away from them in the empty waiting room as they waited for him to be called in.  
“You can force me to come here, but you can’t force me talk. So you’re just wasting your money.”  
“Ryan, this will be good for you.” Kirsten told him.  
“How do you know what’s good for me? You don’t know anything about me.”  
“Ryan, come on back.” The door opened and a receptionist led him to one of the back rooms.  
“Ryan, I’m Dr. Steele,” a man with graying hair greeted him. “It’s nice to meet you.”  
“I wish I could say the same.” He mumbled as he sat on the uncomfortable chair across from him.  
“So why don’t you tell me a little bit about yourself?”  
“You have my file in front of you, so you already know about me.”  
“I have the facts, not the details.”  
“Well, you won’t be getting any from me.” Ryan crossed his arms on his chest and just glared at the doctor in front of him.  
“Sandy and Kirsten are really concerned about you, now why don’t we try to resolve this?”  
Ryan remained how he was for the entire hour not once blinking or offering up any kind of verbal response to the doctor’s questions. Dr. Steele finally dismissed him and Ryan stormed out of the office followed by Sandy and Kirsten. They looked perplexed as they exchanged an anxious look with the doctor as they hurried to catch up with Ryan as he reached the car. He slid into the back seat as he struggled not to slam the door.  
“How’d it go?” Sandy ventured as he started the car.  
“It sucked.”  
“What’d you think of Dr. Steele?” Kirsten asked.  
“He’s an ass.”  
“Ryan! Language!”  
“Just being honest.” He mumbled as they pulled up to house and Ryan fled inside and up to the guest room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been awhile I know, but I'd really like to know what you all think of this. Leave some feedback.


	3. Chapter 3: Last-Ditch Effort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan explodes and Sandy and Kirsten come up with an alternative way to try to help him.

Chapter 3: Last-Ditch Effort   
Sandy and Kirsten were busy talking about Ryan’s behavior one night so Ryan was able to sneak outside. He walked to the end of the driveway and sat down on the curb as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He took a long drag and slowly exhaled.  
“I thought you quit.” He looked up and saw Kirsten standing above him.  
“You guys think a lot of things that aren’t true.”  
“Where’d you get those? Rosa confiscated the ones you had when you moved in with us.”  
“You can find people willing to sell to minors if you know where to look.”  
“Ryan, we need to settle some things. Figure out how to deal with everything. Together. As a family.” She slowly sat down beside him.  
“Why?” he looked at her.   
“Because we’re a family.”  
“You, Sandy, and Seth are a family.” He informed her. “I’m just the street kid who lives in your pool house. Or who is being forced to live in your guest room right now.”  
“Ryan, you are a part of our family.”  
“No, I’m not. Not really. But that’s ok. I’ll just always feel like a guest in your home; feel privileged that you’ve taken me in and are allowing me to have all the opportunities that your son has.”  
“That is not how we feel.”  
“Whatever,” Ryan stood up and stamped out the cigarette. “I should probably get inside before the warden does bed check.”  
“Ryan-”  
“It’s fine.” He went back inside as Sandy came out of the kitchen.  
“Where were you?” he demanded.  
“I didn’t leave the property.”  
“Ryan, this has got to stop!”  
“Sandy, not now.” Kirsten came in. “Get some sleep, Ryan. You can come with me to the Newport Group tomorrow.”  
“Fine.” He started upstairs as Sandy turned to Kirsten.  
“Kirsten-”  
“Sandy, we have much bigger problems. He’s questioning his place in this family. I think he thinks of himself as a guest here.”  
“After all this time?”  
“We need to think of something else to do.”   
“I’m open to suggestions, because I’m at a loss.”  
“I’ll think of something.”  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
The next morning, Ryan was at the counter in the kitchen slowly eating his cereal as he waited for Kirsten to come down. Sandy came in followed closely by Seth as he was trying to convince Sandy to let him go out that night.  
“It’s a school night, Seth.”  
“But it’s the IMAX!”  
“I’m sure it’ll be there this weekend.”   
“Do you want to come with me, Ryan?” Seth glanced at Ryan.  
“Not a chance in hell.” He mumbled as Kirsten came in. “Can we go yet?”  
“First, watch your language.” She told him. “Second, I think it would be good for you if you go out with Seth.”  
“You guys grounded me. No going out, remember?”  
“It’s still considered punishment if we force you to go out with a person you don’t want to be around.”  
“So I again have no choice?”  
“Nope.”  
“Fine.” He got up from the counter. “But I’m not sitting anywhere near you.”  
“I’ll take it.” Seth said as Ryan stormed out of the house.  
“Do you think this is a good idea?” Sandy looked at Kirsten.   
“He’s questioning his place in this family. Maybe if he spends some one-on-one time with each of us, it’ll help him.”  
“I hope you’re right.” Sandy looked at Seth. “But it has to be just you and Ryan tonight. And you are not to let him out of your sight.”  
“Got it.” Seth gathered his things and followed his parents out.   
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Ryan sat at a table in the corner of Kirsten’s office doing his homework as she talked to an investor over the phone. He glanced at her as she kept getting louder and louder. He finally gave up on getting any kind of work done and turned around and watched her.  
“Sorry about that.” Kirsten hung up and looked at Ryan. “We’re having a problem with one of the suppliers.”  
“Whatever.” He mumbled. “It’s none of my business.”  
“We’d really appreciate it if you lost the attitude.”  
“I’ll lose the attitude when you guys stop disappointing me.” He turned back around and resumed his homework.  
“So we’re disappointing you.”   
“It doesn’t matter. I’m just the street kid that lives with you.”  
“Ryan, we’d like to improve on the way that we deal with each other.”  
“Good luck with that.” He opened one of his text books as the door opened.  
“Kiki-” Caleb stopped when he spotted Ryan at the table in the corner. “What’s he doing here?”  
“Dad, don’t.”  
“Oh, that’s right.”  
“Dad-” Kirsten tried again.  
“You know, if you were my kid-” Caleb continued, not paying any attention to what Kirsten was saying.  
“Well thank goodness that I’m not.” Ryan turned around to look at him. “I’m not really in the mood for anything you have to say to me, old man.”  
“What did you say to me?” Caleb walked closer.  
“Are you going deaf in your old age?” Ryan glared at him.  
“How dare you-”   
“How dare I what? Tell you how it really is instead of caving to your every demand like everyone else that meets you does?”  
“And you’re just letting him talk to me like this?” Caleb looked at Kirsten, finally acknowledging her.   
“I warned you not to goad him.” She told him. “If you need me for something important, I’ll meet you in your office. Otherwise, stay away from here as long as Ryan is here.”  
Ryan turned back to his work as Caleb walked out of the office. Kirsten sighed as she walked out after her dad and followed him into his office.  
“Was it really necessary to get him all worked up like that?” she demanded.  
“That boy needs to learn some respect.”  
“He’s going through some things right now.” She told him. “He’s rejecting everything Sandy, Seth, and I want to do for him.”  
“I can knock some sense into him-”  
“No you won’t.” Kirsten told him. “We’re dealing with him our own way.”  
“You should just send him back where he came from.”  
“First of all, we would never do that after promising him that we would never take him back. Second, we don’t know where his mom is. Even if we did, we would never leave him with her. We are the only family he has left.”  
“But you’re not.” They heard behind them and saw Ryan standing in the door.  
“What?” Kirsten looked at him.  
“I’m not your family. Not really.”  
“Ryan-”  
“From what I’ve been told, isn’t a family supposed to listen to you? Try to understand what you’re going through? Not just push them on someone else to fix their problems.”  
“Ryan, we’re all trying.”  
“No, you’re not.” He stated. “You’re forcing me to spend time with people that I don’t like.”  
“I know that’s not true.”  
“How do you know? You don’t know anything about me. You’re just trying to conform me to what you think I should be. I didn’t ask for any of this.”  
“Ryan, we’re just doing what we think is best for you.”  
“How do you know what’s best for me? You’ve never taken the time to get to know the real me. Neither one of you have. You just expect me to do what you planned for me. Never mind if it’s something I don’t want to do.”  
“Why didn’t you tell us before?”  
“When would I have had the chance?” he glared at them before turning around and heading back to Kirsten’s office.  
“Oh my god.” Kirsten mumbled.  
“I say that kid needs some help.” Caleb told her.  
“We took him to see a therapist a few days ago, but apparently he barely said a word to him.”  
“If you want, I can try talking to him.”  
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” She told him. “We need to think of something else to try to help him.”  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Kirsten and Ryan returned to the house as Seth was getting home from school. Ryan went upstairs as Kirsten ordered take-out for that night.   
“How was your day?” Seth asked her.  
“Why?”  
“You spent the day with Ryan.” He told her. “I can tell that your day wasn’t all that great.”  
“I gained some insights into some of Ryan’s problems.” She sighed. “I called your father and he may have come up with something. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll be going to the IMAX tonight.”  
“Why not?”  
“Because from now on, we’ll be facing all of Ryan’s problems as a family. Which means that you’ll be stuck going with us tonight.”  
“Going where?”  
“We’ll fill you in later.” She told him as the door opened and Sandy came in.  
“Hey.” He greeted them. “Where’s Ryan?”  
“Upstairs.” Kirsten told him. “He barely said a word to me since his outburst in dad’s office.”  
“I’ll try to talk to him.” Sandy headed upstairs, and Seth looked at his mother.  
“Ryan yelled at grandpa?” he asked her.  
“It was directed more at me.” She told him. “So we’re all going to have an early dinner, then we’ll go on a little field trip.”  
“Field trip?”  
“You’ll find out soon enough.” Kirsten went to answer the door as the doorbell rang and brought in the take-out.  
Dinner was a quiet event as Ryan silently brooded when he was forced to sit at the table with all of them. He slowly picked at the food as Sandy tried to get him to eat.  
“If that’s all you’re going to eat, take your dishes to the sink and meet us out in the car.” Kirsten told both Seth and Ryan.  
“I don’t want to go.” Ryan stated.  
“You don’t have a choice in the matter.” Sandy told him. “Go out to the range rover and wait for us.”  
They both got up from the table, put their dishes in the sink, and walked outside. Sandy helped Kirsten clean up and they followed behind the boys. Ryan was scrunched up against his window as far as he could to be away from Seth. The ride was silent the whole way there with Ryan grumbling under his breath every so often. Sandy finally pulled up to a building and shut off the engine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what'd you all think. Leave some feedback.


	4. Chapter 4: Give It A Try

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Cohen's try a new way to get through to Ryan. Will he be open-minded?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's been so long since I posted to this story. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 4: Give It A Try  
Sandy finally pulled up to a building and shut off the engine.  
“What is this place?” Seth asked.  
“More punishment for me.” Ryan mumbled as Kirsten opened his door.  
“It’s not punishment.” She assured him. “Hopefully, this will help you.”  
“Like I’m the only one who needs help here.” He reluctantly climbed out of the car and they led him into the building.  
“Hi. We’re the Cohen’s.” Sandy approached a woman that was stationed behind a glass window. She had a name tag pinned to her shirt as she picked up a clipboard nearby.  
“Newbies.” She smiled at them as she scanned the list. “You have a family therapy session in the main conference room first.”  
“Thank you.” Sandy led them down the hall and into a room.  
“Seriously, what is this place?” Seth asked as they all sat down, Ryan far away from them.  
“It’s a support group meeting for foster kids and their new families.” Kirsten told him. “It will be good for all of us.”  
“According to you.” Ryan mumbled.  
“So where are all the other foster families?” Seth asked.  
“In other rooms doing other activities.”  
“Hello. My name is Nicole. I’ll be your family counselor.” A woman around Kirsten’s age came in. “You’re the Cohen’s?”  
“I’m Sandy, this is my wife Kirsten, and our sons Seth and Ryan.”  
“Hello, Ryan.” Nicole saw him recoil when Sandy addressed him as his son.  
He mumbled something incoherent under his breath as Kirsten and Sandy looked exasperated. Nicole noticed this, but decided not to push anyone yet.  
“First I would like to say that whatever is said here is private and confidential. I do not discuss anything with any of my colleagues.” Nicole told them.  
“Thank you.”  
“Second it should be agreed upon that no matter what any of you say in here, there should be no punishment or repercussions of any kind at home.”  
“Agreed.” Kirsten spoke up.  
“Now why don’t we start small tonight,” Nicole turned to look at Ryan. “What are your feelings towards the Cohen’s?”  
“I don’t know.” He mumbled.  
“Yes, you do.” Nicole urged him. “Anything you say here, stays here.”  
“Until we get back to the house.”  
“There will be no repercussions.” Kirsten told him. “We’re all here to help you.”  
“You mean to gang up on me.”  
“We want to make things better.” Sandy looked over at him.  
“Let’s start this again.” Nicole interrupted them. “How do you feel about the Cohen’s? No punishment, no judgment.”  
“I-I don’t like them right now.” Ryan finally said.  
“Would you care to elaborate?”  
“They disappointed me. They made false promises.”  
“What do you mean by false promises?”  
“They said things would be different than they were for me before. And at the first sign of trouble, they start to bring back everything.”  
“Ryan, we have never raised a hand to you.” Sandy told him.  
“So you think the only kind of abuse I suffered was physical?”  
“Explain what you mean, Ryan.” Nicole urged, “Take your time.”  
“I could never talk to my mom or my brother or my mom’s revolving door of boyfriends that she had. You claimed I could talk to you whenever I needed to. But that’s not true. You’re too busy with your fancy jobs.”  
“Ok. That’s how you feel about Sandy and Kirsten. What about Seth?”  
“I used to be able to talk to him. He used to have time. Before he was involved in this bizarre-o Anna/Summer love triangle.”  
“Dude-”  
“At this point, I don’t even care that you don’t believe me.” Ryan told Seth as he glared over at him. “You should’ve had my back from the beginning; just like I’ve had your back from the moment we met.”  
“Ok. I think that’s enough family session for tonight.” Nicole told them. “I’d like to talk to Ryan in private for a little bit. The other families are down the hall in room C. Ryan will meet you there in about fifteen minutes.”  
The three of them stood up and walked out, leaving Ryan alone with Nicole. He avoided her stare as they waited for the Cohen’s to walk down the hall.  
“I imagine that was intense; for all of you.” She stated and Ryan shrugged. “We won’t get into too much since this is your first session here. But I would like to know one thing: Who are you?”  
“Um, Ryan Atwood.” He looked at her blankly.  
“And who is Ryan Atwood?”  
“Me?”  
“What I mean is there has to be more to you than your name. So who are you?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“And why not?”  
“Because I’m just a teenager. Like I’m the only teenager who doesn’t know who they are.”  
“Wouldn’t you like to know once and for all who you are or who you can eventually become?”  
“Maybe.” He shrugged.  
“I know you’re not very good at expressing yourself out loud, but maybe I can help you with that.”  
Ryan watched as Nicole got up and went to a metal cabinet in the corner. She rummaged around and came back with a spiral-bound notebook.  
“This is something we give all the foster kids that come here. It can be a journal; or not. You can just write down your feelings in list form. There are suggested subjects on a print-out inside. I would like you to do the first two suggestions before you come back, and we’ll discuss it. It’s not an assignment. You won’t get graded on it or even have to tell the Cohen’s.” she explained to him.  
“But I’ll have to tell you what I wrote.” He looked up at her as she held out the notebook in front of him.  
“We’ll discuss some of the things that you write. If you’re not comfortable sharing something, then that’s fine. As long as you do it.”  
“Fine.” He took the notebook from her.  
“Now if you ever feel like you need someone to talk to and no one else is there, I want you to call me.” She gave him her card with her number on it. “That’s my cell and my pager. You can call me anytime.”  
“So you’re like my sponsor?” he retorted.  
“I guess you can put it that way.” She smiled as she stood up. “Now let’s go find the Cohen’s and see what they’re doing.”  
“Fine.” Ryan reluctantly followed her out of the room and down the hall.  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Sandy, Kirsten, and Seth walked out of the group therapy session and found room C. They looked around the room at all the other families standing around talking with each other as they had the coffee, punch, and various snacks that were set up on a long table.  
“We’re going to try to start up a conversation with one of the parents.” Sandy told Seth. “Why don’t you do the same with one of these kids?”  
“They’re all little kids.” Seth told them.  
“There’s a kid that looks around your age.” Kirsten pointed to a kid sitting on the floor near the back wall. “And he’s by himself.”  
“He looks like he plays water polo.” He mumbled as he noticed the letterman jacket he was sporting.  
“Just go.” Seth grumbled to himself as he slowly made his way to the other side of the room and sat down near the kid.  
“Hey.” The kid looked up at him. “Thank goodness, someone my age. Do you have a foster brother or sister?”  
“Brother.” Seth mumbled.  
“Me, too. How old is yours?” the kid scooted closer to Seth.  
“Sixteen. Same as me.”  
“Mine is twelve. Is this your first time here?”  
“Yeah. My mom and dad are kind of at their wits end with Ryan. I think this is our last resort with him.”  
“It’s a good thing for you all. My parents were about ready to send Lucas back to the group home, but I begged them not to. I’ve been wanting a little brother for so long.”  
“What’s your name anyway?”  
“Oh, sorry. It’s Wyatt.”  
“I’m Seth.”  
Sandy and Kirsten smiled as they watched Seth start to converse with the other teenager as they went to get some of the stale coffee.  
“Are you guys new?” a couple came up to them.  
“Sandy Cohen,” he introduced himself. “This is my wife, Kirsten.”  
“I’m Ellen Thompson. This is my husband, Ted.”  
“Nice to meet you.”  
“That’s our oldest over there; Wyatt.” They gestured to the boy that was talking to Seth.  
“That’s our son he’s talking to; Seth.”  
“Wyatt’s probably happy that he has someone his own age to talk to.” Ted told them. “So how old is your foster kid?”  
“Ryan’s sixteen; same age as Seth.”  
“Lucas is twelve. We got him when he was ten.”  
“Ryan’s only been with us a little more than six months.”  
“Here they all come.” Ellen pointed to the door of the room as some of the counselors came out with their charges.  
Ryan came in, spotted them, and headed straight for the bleachers so he wouldn’t have to talk to any of them. Kirsten sighed as she started to walk over to him.  
“Give him some space, Mrs. Cohen.” Nicole intercepted her. “The first visit is always the hardest.”  
“You’re right.” Kirsten sighed as she went back to Sandy.  
Ryan sat on the bleachers glumly as he waited for this torture-fest to be over. He looked up as he saw Seth approaching him with someone else.  
“Ryan, this is Wyatt.” Seth told him.  
“Great.” Ryan mumbled.  
“Would you like to hang out with us and his little brother Lucas?”  
“No, thanks. Just come get me when we can leave.”  
“Come on,” Wyatt pulled Seth away. “It’s only the first meeting for you guys. It took us at least five of these meetings before Lucas started to open up.”  
More than an hour later, they all headed back home. When the car was turned off, they all went into the house. Ryan immediately went up to the guest room, wanting to be left alone for the rest of the night.  
“Well, I think it helped him a little.” Sandy said. “What do you think?”  
“I think it’ll be good for all of us if we keep going.” Kirsten told him.  
“Me, too.” They headed up to their room for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this latest chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> So what'd you all think? Leave me some feedback.


End file.
